Erdogan files complaint against all coup bid suspects

By Baris Kilic and Mehmet Tosun

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has filed a criminal complaint against all suspects involved in the July 2016 defeated coup in Turkey for crimes committed against him and the Turkish nation, according to a presidential source.

Previously, the president's complaint included only those named in the assassination bid, but now the new complaint includes all suspects involved in the coup attempt.

Erdogan's lawyer Huseyin Aydin sent a six-page criminal complaint letter to Ankara Public Prosecutor’s Office on Wednesday, the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media, said.

"The president of Turkey has filed a complaint against all suspects within the context of the July 15 coup attempt for crimes committed against him as well as crimes committed against the union of the Turkish nation and other values represented by the presidential authority," the letter said.

The letter reminded that Erdogan remains the head of the state according to Article 104 of the country’s Constitution. Quoting the article, it said the president "shall represent the Republic of Turkey and the unity of the Turkish nation; he shall ensure the implementation of the Constitution, and the regular and harmonious functioning of the organs of state."

According to the complaint, "The suspects attempted to end the existence of the first-elected president of the Republic of Turkey, who is the natural leader of nation, and sought to eliminate the possible resistance to the bloody coup attempt."

The president was vacationing in southwestern Mugla province on July 15 coup bid night, but later he departed for Istanbul after being alerted about the attempt. He also narrowly escaped an armed attack on the hotel he was staying in Marmaris. The hotel was bombed 15 minutes after his departure.

The letter added the assassination attempt had been carried out by suspected members of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

Turkey accuses FETO, which is led by U.S.-based Fetullah Gulen, of organizing the defeated coup as well as a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.

The defeated coup left at least 248 people martyred and nearly 2,193 injured.